Unusal Behaviors
by Aki
Summary: OK, please don't judge by the title! Harry and the gang are back for fifth year and some things seem to be different around the castle. Snape is... happy??? please R/R it'd make me so very happy! My first fic in a year.


A/N: ok well I suck royally when it comes to naming stories, and of course this first chapter has absolutely nothing to do with the title, it's one of those wonderful "set up" chapters. But hopefully you like it so far, and please R/R! even flames! Just let me know your reading it! That im not only doing this for me!  
  
And now for the disclaimer! I OWN NONE OF THIS! Well except for some of the plot but that might not be saying much. ***  
  
In Harry smiled as he heard a cars low rumble on the street outside the Dursley's home. Ron and Mr.Weasley were there to pick him up and take him to Diagon Alley for more things he needed for his fifth year at Hogwarts. It was the 24th of August, and there was a week left before the term started. Unfortunately, Harry only was able to stay with Ron and his family for the month of July. Dumbledore had his reasons, and wouldn't share them, but at least he had spent his birthday being with people who liked him. He also got to spend the last week before going back at The Burrow, which was always interesting.  
  
"My ride's here! I'm leaving, bye!" Harry hollered out behind him as he dragged his trunk and Hedwig's empty cage out of Number 4 Privet Drive as fast as he could, not waiting for an answer.  
  
"Geez Harry, I could have helped you with that," Ron said greeting Harry.  
  
"The Dursley's have been, er, stranger than usual, so I didn't want to stay in there any longer than I had to."  
  
"Make's sense. You probably figured it out already, but we have to go back to The Burrow because all the Ministry cars were taken and we can't fit four of us comfortably in Dad's Muggle car. Hopefully it'll get us back home. I was getting worried on the way over," Ron told him as they tried to get Harry's trunk into the. er, trunk.  
  
"Good to see you, Harry," Mr.Weasley said as they were leaving the Dursley's.  
  
"You too. Thanks for coming to get me. It must be a bother for you."  
  
"No, it's really not bad, and it's amazing to see all the different things Muggles use to get by."  
  
Of course, the rest of the Weasley family didn't trust Mr.Weasley with a completely Muggle car (but this one couldn't fly), it did seem to get the three back to the Burrow rather quickly. At the beginning of the summer, Harry was still shaken up from the events of the third task. It all had happened so quickly, and it was thoroughly overwhelming. Cedric died, Voldemort was gaining power, and it affected Harry quite a bit. He hardly talked to the Dursley's, which wasn't too different for him, but he hardly talked during the first week of July when he was staying with the Weasley's. Then one night Ron and Harry snuck out of the house because neither of them could sleep and Ron wanted to try and get Harry to talk to him about what was on his mind. They were walking around outside and to their surprise ran into Snuffles under a tree, looking as if he was waiting for them. Harry felt like he was going to explode, or implode depending on when you asked him, if he didn't talk about all the pressures of the third that were drilling constantly into his mind. He spilled it to Sirius and Ron, and they talked it over for quite a while. The sun was coming up and the two boys had to get back into the house, and Sirius of course wasn't supposed to be seen by anyone so they retired to try and get some sleep. It was the best 4 hours of natural sleep Harry had had since the third task, and he was feeling almost his complete self again.  
  
"I'll get your trunk, ok?" Mr.Weasley said to Harry when they were getting out of the car.  
  
"That's great," Harry hollered to Mr.Weasley as he headed towards the Burrow. "So Ron, ready for fifth year?"  
  
"I suppose. It's going to be a bit better because Fred and George gave me a couple galleons to get new robes. And in case there's news about another ball this year, I'm most definitely going to get a new dress robe. I hate maroon," Ron said and slightly shuddered.  
  
Harry chuckled. "So when are we going to Diagon Alley?"  
  
"Tomorrow," Ron answered as they went into the kitchen.  
  
"Harry dear! How was the ride over? Not too bad I hope. Lunch is going to be ready in a little bit," Mrs.Weasley said when she saw the boy.  
  
"Hullo Mrs.Weasley. Thanks for letting me stay over again."  
  
"Anytime Harry! We're glad to have you. Our house is going to be practically empty next summer, so hopefully you'll be able to stay over more."  
  
"Your mum is always, well usually real nice," Harry said to Ron as they went up the many stairs to Ron's bright orange room.  
  
"Yeah, she's not too bad."  
  
Harry plopped down on the extra bed in Ron's room. "Where are Fred and George now anyway?"  
  
"They're working at Zonko's in Hogsmeade. Mum wasn't too happy about it at first, but she's glad their working."  
  
"I can imagine. Are they still going to try and start Weasley's Wizards Wheezes or whatever it was?"  
  
"Oh, of course. They're just getting a bit more money to get it all set up and seeing how an actual business works first."  
  
"It's going to be a lot quieter now that their gone."  
  
"I know. Mum's been going nonstop for the last two weeks since they left. I don't think she likes it this quiet during summer."  
  
Harry rolled onto his back and looked up at the ceiling. "This is weird. I'm so used to Hermione being over here when we're getting ready to go back to Hogwarts."  
  
Ron was glad Harry was looking at the ceiling, because a blush was forming under his freckles upon hearing Hermione's name.  
  
"I sent Hedwig with a letter to her when I got back to the Dursley's in August to thank her for the book she got me for my birthday (Qudditch Around the World, by the same author as Quidditch Through the Ages). I suppose she's still over in Bulgaria, eh?"  
  
"Yes," Ron said, sounding slightly aggravated. Of course Hermione was in Bulgaria with her precious Krum. How he wanted to. Ron took a couple breaths hoping Harry didn't notice that he had gotten a bit upset.  
  
"You ok there, Ron?" Harry asked looking over at him.  
  
"Perfectly. Why wouldn't I be? I'm sure she's having a wonderful time in Bulgaria with. Krum."  
  
Harry noticed Ron had to force out that last word. "Is there something you aren't telling me? If I didn't know better I'd say-"  
  
"Well then don't say it," Ron said cutting him off. He didn't want Harry to accuse him of something he wasn't even sure of himself. 


End file.
